Council's Failure Of Political Will

December 05, 1985|The Morning Call

". . . No temporary sign shall be posted on the Hamilton Mall."

- Proposed Allentown ordinance.

Allentown City Council had a splendid opportunity to take a legal stand against the continued display of political posters and signs that disfigure the townscape every spring and fall before and after elections. However, the ordinance that was presented for first reading at last night's council meeting will not rid the city of this perennial political graffiti. Indeed, in one way it is weaker than the ordinance it would replace - an ordinance that was seldom, if ever, enforced.

A 1974 city ordinance regulating the display of political signs within the city read: "The placement of any sign attached to a pole, tree, light standard, etc., located in the sidewalk right of way is prohibited." The new ordinance establishes conditions under which such signs "may be affixed to utility poles or street light standards. . . ." After enumerating the do's and don'ts of posting political signs on utility poles and light standards, the ordinance advises the would-be sign poster that no sign should be affixed to any utility pole without first obtaining the permission of the owner to do so.

Since most of the political signs are plastered on utility poles and light standards which, for the most part, are the property of Pennsylvania Power & Light Co., the regulations set forth by council's proposed ordinance are meaningless. PP&L has never granted politicians the right to display their advertisements on their property, and they do not intend to change that policy. In fact every election season the utility has told the politicians that it is illegal for them to post their signs on PP&L poles. No matter. The politicians have ignored the utility company. The City of Allentown has chosen not to enforce either the existing law that prohibits the display of such signs, or an agreement by the city and the political parties for removing the signs within a week after an election.

There is a simple and effective way to get rid of political signs in Allentown. Instead of filling up four pages with ways and means of affixing the signs to other people's property, the ordinance should contain two provisions. The first would say in words every politician can understand that the posting of political signs in Allentown (not only along Hamilton Mall) is unlawful. The second provision would set forth the penalty for violating the law.

If the City Solicitor's office requires a model for the legal language necessary to assure the success of such an ordinance, the Borough of Emmaus (among other Lehigh Valley municipalities) has such an ordinance. It has been in effect since 1931. Although the language of the law may be a bit antiquated, its words are few and its authority rarely challenged. But most important, it has succeeded in keeping the borough free of such political eyesores for 35 years.